SERBIA'S POSITION.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 566, 2 December 1915, Page 8

SERBIA'S POSITION.

/ GOOD FORCE AVAILABLE. ■ German success at terrible cost. LONDON; November 30. It is authoritatively stated that the Serbian armies have not been reduced to a scanty remnant. One section is retreating in good order across the Albanian and Montenegrin frontiers, and the other in a southwesterly direction.. Serbia still has available 250,000 first-class fighting men,, though they require arms. It is positively known that Germany's losses have been extremely • heavy, and, that her successes have faeen achieved at a terrible cost. The Serbians still retain 50,00(1 Austrian prisoners captured last year. . TENSION INCREASING. TURKEY AND BULGARIA. ." LONDON, November 30. v , / The special correspondent of "The " Tiiries" in Serbia says the tension between Turkey and Bulgaria has in-, "creased. The- popular agitation, which German agents are endeavouring to soothe, prevails in Bulgarja, - on the subject of the claim of Turkey for the retrocession of the districts . in Thrace, which were recently given to Bulgaria. Constantinople asserts that Bulgaria will be aggrandised by . "the conquest .of Serbia, owing' to Turkey's friendship, but the Bulgarians will not be satisfied by any postwar settlement which does not include the.cession of Adrianople. FALL OF MONASTIR. SERBS RETIRE WITHOUT FIGHTING. j " LONDON, November 30. , Mr Martin Donohoe, telegraphing from Athens, announces the fall of Monastir, the Serbians withdrawing . from, the town without fighting, to avoid useless bloodshed. The Greek arid Rumanian Consuls, the Greek Patriarch, and the Bulgarian Exarch, who were appointed to negotiate the surrender, haVe gone, to the Bulgarian Headquarters. The French on Sunday *were fighting at Gradsko, east of Krivolak. The Serbians are retreating in good order in two bodies, one heading for Albania and the* other for Montenegro. Heavy snowstorms continue. Fiorina is crowded with refugees who are in a pitiable state, mothers carrying their infants who have died from cold and hunger. The Greeks have sent urgent appeals to Salonica • for food and clothing for the destitute refugees. # •' GERMANY AND SERBIA. A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE. BRISBANE, December 1. The Governor has announced that he has received a cable message from Mr Bonar Law to the effect that Germany (?) was not going to continue her war against Serbia.

THE BALKAN TANGLE. EUROPEAN CAPITALS PREOCCUPIED. LONDON, November 30. . All the European capitals are preoccupied with the Balkan tangle. The anxiety is intensified by the publication of the Greek reply to the Entente. Greece declares she will maintain her benevolent neutrality so long as her sovereign rights are not infringed, and no restrictions of a military character are imposed. She contends that with Salonica and its railways in the hands of the Allies, the Greek forces are deprived of their only provisioning base. The German newspapers are pub-

lishing extravagant articles showing theWttitude of pro-German Greeks. A leading Athenian politician, who Was interviewed, stated that King Constantine and General Dusmanis consider that Italy is even more dangerous than Bulgaria. Italy wants Epirus. It is better that Turkey should hold Constantinople than Russia. He added:—"lf the FrancoBritish forces in Macedonia are driven back they will certainly be interned. There will be plenty of highly-placed personages in their army capable of being used as hostages. If the Allies bombard her coasts, Greece can shoot so many British and French officers, and can execute a certain number of sol-, diers for every Greek ship that is sunk. Enough of the British will be captured to save Greece from bombardment." CRISIS APPROACHING. ATTITUDE OF RUMANIA. *< LONDON, November 30. There is every indication: of a crisis having been reached in Rumania. Paris diplomatic circles are optimistic, and believe she will soon ehter on the side of the Allies. The Bucharest ; correspondent of "Le Temps" states that the Rumanian Government is only in disaccord with the Opposition as far as dates and methods are concerned. M.! Bratiano is as convinced as M. Filipesco that Rumania must take part in the conflict. : : Experts in Rome have come to a similar conclusion, as the result of the speech of the King of Rumania at the opening of Parliament. They Relieve that Rumania has decided to mobilise directly Russia makes a nhove. 1 The Paris newspaper "Le Petit Journal" says that news from Bucharest states that M. Bratianp, Premier ojf Rumania, is ill. Because he has failed, to. strengthen Cabinet, the situation is becoming more and more strained. Some a compact with Russia is definite. 'The Austro-Germans are massing war material on the Rumanian frontier. The Russian effort will need to be great. WAR ON MONTENEGRO. AUSTRIAN REPORT. VIENNA, December 1. A communique says:"We drove the Montenegrins in the direction of Plevlie."